Power-generating system



(No Model.) l

H., E. GRANT. POWER GENERATING SYSTEM.

UNITED' STATES PATENT Umeres.

HORACE E. GRANT, OF PI'ITSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

POWER-G EN ERATING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION formngpart of Letters Patent No. 547,427, dated October 8, 1895.

Application filed June 30, 1894. Serial No. 516.179- (NO model.)

To all whom. it may concern.:

Beit known that I, HORACE E. GRANT, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Power-Generating Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a diagrammatic view illustrating lnypower system in its preferred form.

My invention relates to the generation of power, and is designed to attain an improved method of and system for the same which shall be more economical than former systems, and at the same time absolutely safe from explosions.

In the drawing, 2 represents a primary steam-boiler of the ordinary type, from which a steam-pipe 3 leads to a coil of pipe et within a secondary boiler 5, from the lower'end of which coil a pipe -6 leads back to the boiler, thus forming a closed circuit for the steam. The pipe 3 is provided with a safety-valve 7 and with a regulator 8, which may be operated either bythe pressure or the heat to regulate the amount of steam passing through the circuit. This regulating-valve may be of the usual construction, audits object is to prevent variations in the heat of the primary boiler from causing similar variations in the secondary boiler, and thus maintain a uniform and constant heat therein.

The secondary boiler is preferably a vertical boiler provided with a safety-valve 9, and in it I prefer to employ liquid ammonia. The ammonia being vaporized by the coil of steampipe passes through a pipe 10 to the engine or prime motor 1l, and its energy being utilized therein it passes through the exhaustpipe 12 to the absorption-tank or condenser 13. From the tank 13 a supply-pipe 14C leads to the feed-pump 15, and thence is forced through the pipe 16 back into the boiler to be again vaporized. The pump is actuated by vapor taken through branch pipe 17', leading from the supply-pipe V10, and, being used in the pump, is exhausted through the pipe 18, leading to the exhaust-pipe 12. The tank 13 is supplied with additional cool water containing a small proportion of ammonia from the storage and cooling tank 19, a float ZOin the lower tank preserving a constant level therein by actuating the admission-valve in the pipe 21. A blow-off pipe 22 leads from the secondary boiler to the elevated storagetank.

The action is apparent. The ammonia vaporizing in the secondary boiler passes to and actuates the engine 11 and the pump 15, and the exhaust from both passing into the tank 13 is therein absorbed or condensed and returned to the secondary boiler by means of the pump to be again utilized.

The great advantage of my system lies in its absolute safety. The steam from the primary boiler passes through a closed circuit, and hence the water can never get lowin this boiler, since it is hermetically sealed. In the secondary boiler it makes no dierence how low the liquid falls, since it is heated therein only by the internal coil of pipe.

Water maybe used in the secondary boiler, if desired, and other fluids may be used in either the primary or secondary boiler without departure from my invention.

The return-circuit for the steam or vapor generated in the secondary boiler may be dispensed with and the steam exhausted from the prime motor into the air, the essence of my invention lying in the use of the secondary boiler, from which the steam under pressure passes to and actuates the motor.

I claim-m 1. A power generator comprising a boiler, a

separate power generator, a return pipe leading from the boiler above its water line through the power generator and arranged to heat the same, and a pipe leading from the power generatorto the prime motor; substantially as described. 2. A power generator comprising a boiler, a separate power generator, a return pipe leading from the steam space of the boiler through the power generator and arranged to heat the same, a safety valve upon the power generator, and a pipe leading from the power generator to the prime motor; substantially as described.

3. A power generator comprising a boiler, a separate power generator, a return pipe leading from the steam space of the boiler through the power generator, and having a regulator ICO thereon, and a pipe leading from the power generator to the prime motor; substantially as described.

4. A power-generating system comprising a primary boiler, asecondary boiler, a return pipe leading from the primary boiler through the secondary boiler and arranged to heat the saine, a pipe leading from the secondary boiler to the prime motor, an exhaust pipe leading from the motor to a reservoir, and a supply pipe from the reservoir to the secondaryboiler;

substantially as described.

5. A power-generating system comprising a primary boiler, a secondary boiler, a return 

